Schools free to seek donations

In a recent column regarding the budget crunch facing high school athletics, Dave Krizman (PVL Pipeline, March 23), stated that “[t]his year the ACLU won a lawsuit … essentially making it clear, that schools can no longer aggressively pursue donations from families.”
That statement is not entirely accurate. The facts are that many schools have not only been seeking donations from families, they have requiring students to pay for uniforms and equipment in order to participate in high school sports while the California Constitution requires “the Legislature to provide for a system of …. free schools … in each district” (Sec. 5, Art. IX, Ca. Const.)
The ACLU case does not prohibit schools from seeking donations, it only prohibits them from requiring kids to pay to play.
Thanks for the forum.
Bob Miller, Auburn